Electrical switching apparatus and transmission assembly therefor

Abstract

A transmission assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, a mount, at least one charging mechanism, and a pair of separable contacts. The transmission assembly has a drive assembly and a transfer assembly. The drive assembly includes a rotary driving member, a stored energy mechanism, and a linear driving member partially extending into the stored energy mechanism and being coupled to the rotary driving member. The transfer assembly cooperates with the drive assembly and the separable contacts and includes a sliding transfer component. The transmission assembly moves between a LOADED OPEN position, an UNLOADED CLOSED position, a LOADED CLOSED position, and an UNLOADED OPEN position. When the transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, the linear driving member drives the sliding transfer component in a generally linear direction, thereby closing the separable contacts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transmission assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, a mount coupled to said housing, at least one charging mechanism coupled to said mount, and a pair of separable contacts disposed within said housing, said transmission assembly comprising:
 a drive assembly comprising:
 a rotary driving member structured to be coupled to said at least one charging mechanism, 
 a stored energy mechanism, and 
 a linear driving member partially extending into said stored energy mechanism and being coupled to said rotary driving member, 
 
 a transfer assembly cooperating with said drive assembly and structured to cooperate with said separable contacts, said transfer assembly comprising a sliding transfer component structured to be disposed on said mount; 
 wherein said transmission assembly is structured to move between a LOADED OPEN position, an UNLOADED CLOSED position, a LOADED CLOSED position, and an UNLOADED OPEN position; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member drives said sliding transfer component in a generally linear direction, thereby closing said separable contacts; wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a base assembly comprising a base component; wherein said base component is structured to be coupled to said mount; wherein said base component has an elongated linear slot; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said sliding transfer component slides within the slot; wherein said sliding transfer component has a DRIVEN position; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member drives said sliding transfer component to the DRIVEN position; wherein said base assembly further comprises a locking component coupled to said base component; and wherein, when said transmission assembly is in the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said locking component maintains said sliding transfer component in the DRIVEN position. 
 
     
     
       2. The transmission assembly of  claim 1  wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a linkage assembly; wherein said linkage assembly cooperates with said sliding transfer component and is structured to cooperate with said separable contacts; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linkage assembly moves from a RETRACTED position to an EXTENDED position, thereby closing said separable contacts. 
     
     
       3. The transmission assembly of  claim 2  wherein said linkage assembly comprises a first coupling link member, a second coupling link member, a first rotary link member, and a second rotary link member; wherein each of said second coupling link member, said first rotary link member, and said second rotary link member has a first end portion and a second end portion; wherein the first end portion of said first rotary link member is structured to engage said sliding transfer component; wherein said first coupling link member couples the second end portion of said first rotary link member to the first end portion of said second rotary link member; wherein the second end portion of said second rotary link member is coupled to the first end portion of said second coupling link member; and wherein the second end portion of said second coupling link member is structured to be coupled to said separable contacts. 
     
     
       4. The transmission assembly of  claim 3  wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member moves in a first direction; and wherein, when said linkage assembly moves from the RETRACTED position to the EXTENDED position, said second coupling link member moves in a second direction generally parallel and opposite the first direction. 
     
     
       5. The transmission assembly of  claim 1  wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the UNLOADED CLOSED position to the LOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member moves away from said sliding transfer component. 
     
     
       6. The transmission assembly of  claim 5  wherein said transfer assembly further comprises an opening spring and a contact spring; wherein said opening spring is coupled to said second rotary link member and is structured to be coupled to said mount; wherein said contact spring is coupled to said second coupling link member and is structured to be coupled to said separable contacts; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED CLOSED position to the UNLOADED OPEN position, each of said opening spring and said contact spring releases energy. 
     
     
       7. The transmission assembly of  claim 5  wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED CLOSED position to the UNLOADED OPEN position, said linkage assembly moves from the EXTENDED position to the RETRACTED position. 
     
     
       8. The transmission assembly of  claim 1  wherein said drive assembly further comprises a control member cooperating with said linear driving member; wherein said control member is structured to be coupled to said mount; and wherein said control member is structured to release said linear driving member, thereby moving said transmission assembly from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position. 
     
     
       9. A transmission assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus comprising a housing, a mount coupled to said housing, at least one charging mechanism coupled to said mount, and a pair of separable contacts disposed within said housing, said transmission assembly comprising:
 a drive assembly comprising:
 a rotary driving member structured to be coupled to said at least one charging mechanism, 
 a stored energy mechanism, and 
 a linear driving member partially extending into said stored energy mechanism and being coupled to said rotary driving member, 
 
 a transfer assembly cooperating with said drive assembly and structured to cooperate with said separable contacts, said transfer assembly comprising a sliding transfer component structured to be disposed on said mount, 
 wherein said transmission assembly is structured to move between a LOADED OPEN position, an UNLOADED CLOSED position, a LOADED CLOSED position, and an UNLOADED OPEN position; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member drives said sliding transfer component in a generally linear direction, thereby closing said separable contacts; wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a linkage assembly; wherein said linkage assembly cooperates with said sliding transfer component and is structured to cooperate with said separable contacts; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linkage assembly moves from a RETRACTED position to an EXTENDED position, thereby closing said separable contacts; wherein said linkage assembly comprises a first coupling link member, a second coupling link member, a first rotary link member, and a second rotary link member; wherein each of said second coupling link member, said first rotary link member, and said second rotary link member has a first end portion and a second end portion; wherein the first end portion of said first rotary link member is structured to engage said sliding transfer component; wherein said first coupling link member couples the second end portion of said first rotary link member to the first end portion of said second rotary link member; wherein the second end portion of said second rotary link member is coupled to the first end portion of said second coupling link member; and wherein the second end portion of said second coupling link member is structured to be coupled to said separable contacts; wherein said sliding transfer component comprises a first base edge, a second base edge, a first sliding edge, and a second sliding edge; wherein the first base edge is parallel to and spaced from the second base edge; wherein the first sliding edge is opposite and spaced from the second sliding edge; wherein each of the first sliding edge and the second sliding edge is located between the first base edge and the second base edge; wherein the first sliding edge comprises a curved portion and a linear portion; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, the first end portion of said first rotary link member slides on the first sliding edge from the curved portion to the linear portion. 
 
     
     
       10. The transmission assembly of  claim 9  wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a rotary shaft component and a hatchet component coupled to said rotary shaft component; wherein said rotary shaft component is structured to be coupled to said mount; wherein said hatchet component engages the second sliding edge of said sliding transfer component; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED CLOSED position to the UNLOADED OPEN position, said rotary shaft component rotates and said hatchet component slides on the second sliding edge of said sliding transfer component. 
     
     
       11. An electrical switching apparatus comprising:
 a housing; 
 a mount coupled to said housing; 
 at least one charging mechanism coupled to said mount; 
 a pair of separable contacts disposed within said housing, and 
 a transmission assembly comprising:
 a drive assembly comprising:
 a rotary driving member coupled to said at least one charging mechanism, 
 a stored energy mechanism, and 
 a linear driving member partially extending into said stored energy mechanism and being coupled to said rotary driving member, 
 
 a transfer assembly cooperating with each of said drive assembly and said separable contacts, said transfer assembly comprising a sliding transfer component disposed on said mount, 
 
 wherein said transmission assembly is structured to move between a LOADED OPEN position, an UNLOADED CLOSED position, a LOADED CLOSED position, and an UNLOADED OPEN position; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member drives said sliding transfer component in a generally linear direction, thereby closing said separable contacts; wherein said sliding transfer component has a DRIVEN position; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member drives said sliding transfer component to the DRIVEN position; wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a base assembly comprising a base component and a locking component coupled to said base component; wherein said base component is coupled to said mount; wherein said base component has an elongated linear slot; wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said sliding transfer component slides within the slot; and wherein, when said transmission assembly is in the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said locking component maintains said sliding transfer component in the DRIVEN position. 
 
     
     
       12. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said transfer assembly further comprises a linkage assembly; wherein said linkage assembly cooperates with each of said sliding transfer component and said separable contacts; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, said linkage assembly moves from a RETRACTED position to an EXTENDED position, thereby closing said separable contacts. 
     
     
       13. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said linkage assembly comprises a first coupling link member, a second coupling link member, a first rotary link member, and a second rotary link member; wherein each of said second coupling link member, said first rotary link member, and said second rotary link member has a first end portion and a second end portion; wherein the first end portion of said first rotary link member is structured to engage said sliding transfer component; wherein said first coupling link member couples the second end portion of said first rotary link member to the first end portion of said second rotary link member; wherein the second end portion of said second rotary link member is coupled to the first end portion of said second coupling link member; and wherein the second end portion of said second coupling link member is coupled to said separable contacts. 
     
     
       14. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said sliding transfer component comprises a first base edge, a second base edge, a first sliding edge, and a second sliding edge; wherein the first base edge is parallel to and spaced from the second base edge; wherein the first sliding edge is opposite and spaced from the second sliding edge; wherein each of the first sliding edge and the second sliding edge is located between the first base edge and the second base edge; wherein the first sliding edge comprises a curved portion and a linear portion; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position, the first end portion of said first rotary link member slides on the first sliding edge from the curved portion to the linear portion. 
     
     
       15. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 14  wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the UNLOADED CLOSED position to the LOADED CLOSED position, said linear driving member moves away from said sliding transfer component; wherein said transfer assembly further comprises an opening spring and a contact spring; wherein said opening spring is coupled to each of said second rotary link member and said mount; wherein said contact spring is coupled to each of said second coupling link member and said separable contacts; and wherein, when said transmission assembly moves from the LOADED CLOSED position to the UNLOADED OPEN position, each of said opening spring and said contact spring releases energy. 
     
     
       16. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said drive assembly further comprises a control member cooperating with said linear driving member; wherein said control member is coupled to said mount; and wherein said control member is structured to release said linear driving member, thereby moving said transmission assembly from the LOADED OPEN position to the UNLOADED CLOSED position. 
     
     
       17. The electrical switching apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said electrical switching apparatus is a medium voltage vacuum circuit breaker; wherein said at least one charging mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a manual charging mechanism and a motor; wherein said drive assembly further comprises another linear driving member extending into said stored energy mechanism and coupling said linear driving member to said rotary driving member; and wherein said stored energy mechanism is a compression spring.